Echos in the Void
Posted on Fri Sep 7th, 2018 @ 6:43am by Lieutenant Commander Vaebn tr'Hwersuil
Edited on on Mon Sep 10th, 2018 @ 5:34pm
1,603 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission:
Episode 4 - The Sum of Our Parts
Location: RRW Insight - classified
Timeline: MD001 0935 hrs
“Are we sure that this information is safe aboard a Federation starship?” Vaebn asked with an arched eyebrow. “Our agent is one of my best, and their loyalty and skill is unquestionable. I have no doubt regarding their ability,” she replied. “I understand Ambassador. I shall make the necessary arrangements, and prepare for their arrival.” “And please brother, be discreet. The envoy is to be treated to their rank, not the current job. Do not advertise. Starfleet believes something other than what you have been told.” “Of course Ambassador. Discretion is always the priority of the Insight. Rarely seen, and never heard.” “Many thanks Commander. And Vaebn, say hello to mother for me when you get home.” “I will Vrina, I will.” The channel closed, and Vaebn sat back in the chair with a deep breath. “Today just got much more complicated.”
May 28 2394 0935 hrs (relative time)
The chair was comfortable, yet something about it felt off. He always felt more comfortable in an office or a lab, with a few assistants and the warm glow of computer monitors, and the holographic stellar maps as his only distractions; but now, he sat in the center of the active room, vast amounts of information streaming across various terminals, only a small amount of the information being gathered by his ship, hidden in the void. The RRW Insight was the second of a new line of covert intelligence and scientific research vessels built by the Romulan Republic, and was given to Vaebn’s command after his performance during the discovery of the Hobus incident, and his direct involvement in the evacuation of the Romulus system and the recovery of the Romulan Navy shipyards. Millions of civilians saved, thousands of ships involved, all because Vaebn and a few other Romulan scientists strongly disagreed with Ambassador Spock and convinced the Senate to heed caution and place their trust in the fleet to evacuate the homeworld before the catastrophe struck. Spock still tried to stop the cataclysm and was lost in the attempt, and Romulus was still destroyed, but the heart of Romulus, its people, had been saved. “Why did that sound right, but feel wrong?” Vaebn thought to himself as his memories faded back to the present. Everything felt off, like he was slightly out of place, and yet everything still felt so familiar and right. He still couldn’t place it. “Maybe I’ll go to the medical bay and get that check-up I keep putting off,” Vaebn thought, “that would make a certain Doctor rather happy as well.”
A chirp from his left console drew his attention, and an icon appeared indicating an internal communication alert, “Proceed,” he stated as his pressed the icon, “We have confirmed the identity of the Federation vessel that we have been tracking through the area as the USS Pioneer,” the disembodied voice stated, “and we are still tracking it on the previous heading, without any deviation.” “Understood;” Vaebn replied as he terminated the link, “Helm, plot an intercept course to the Federation starship, bring us up behind it, passive scans only. I don’t want them to know we are on approach. We’ll make our presence know when we want.” “Yes sir,” the helm officer said, “course plotted, eta at present speed, 2 hours.” “Thank you. Please advise me when we are 30 minutes out.” Vaebn stood, and took his leave from the bridge, “Sub-commander, you have the bridge.”
His mind was twisting; what was true in his memories, why was he remembering conflicting information, and where was all of this coming from? “Maybe Hwianna could find some answers,” he thought as he started his way to the medical bay. As the lift doors closed, another rush of images flitted through Vaebn’s mind; the near collapse of the old Empire with Hobus, the loss of millions of lives in the same instant, including his parents and entire family with one exception. The insurrections of broken Imperial elements, his own disillusionment with the Romulan idea, and his subsequent asylum to the Federation, along with large groups of Romulan refugees in the aftermath of the Hobus supernovae. His head was still a fog of thoughts when the doors opened to another hallway suffused with the pale green glow of the running lights. After a few steps, his head cleared again but a slight melancholy hung over him now, and he couldn’t quite shake it. A few more steps and it lifted slightly, but it was still visible as he stepped through the door to the medical bay. Hwianna greeted him as the inner door to her office opened, “Good morning again my …… Vaebn? Is everything alright?”
“I am not sure. I keep having sudden headaches, and feel; off balance in a way.”
She wrapped her arm around his waist and helped him to the exam table, “Lie down for a moment, and I’ll see what I can do. Maybe you just overdid things last night.”
She picked up a scanning device and swept it slowly across his forehead and he lay on the platform. “Hmmm,” she pondered as the results began to populate, “Your neocortex is much more active than usual, and there is a lot more cranial nerve impulses than what should be showing. I can run a full spectral and internal body scan, but the results will take a while to build. I can come and get you once I have them.” Her demeanor was professional, as she always was in this room, but her eyes showed something else; worry, fear and concern filled her eyes and threatened to spill over but she held it back with a willpower second to none. Vaebn noticed her eyes for a fleeting moment and reached out to comfort her, when her professional stoicism returned. She grasped his hand firmly, “Lie down again and let’s get this started. I’m sure you have more important things to do than lie around in my medical bay all morning.” Vaebn smiled at her and nodded, “Yes ma’am,” he replied and lay back and closed his eyes as the table slowly slid into the scanning chamber.
The table stopped and the faint hum of the scanner began and his mind raced to that other place again; he was aboard a Starfleet vessel, an officer exchange. Familiar, yet unknown, faces surrounding him; talking and laughing, a comradery that he only knew in this life from Hwianna, or the research team on Romulus. And yet, he found no joy attached to these memories; a fondness perhaps, but no joy. Who was this other Vaebn, and what happened that caused him to lose so much of himself. Then it struck him, something from the last vision in the hallway; Hobus. “Our lives diverged at Hobus,” he thought, “but why am I seeing his life? What happened to show me these things?” The table lurched and the memories were gone as he slid back into the med bay, and the awaiting face of Hwianna, as stern and loving as he’d ever seen. “That’s it?” he asked.
“Yes. I’m sorry it took so long, but I wanted to be thorough.”
“That didn’t feel long at all. How long was I in there?” Vaebn replied.
“Almost an hour,” she said, he face a look of question at her answer, “You didn’t notice?”
“No. As soon as I went in I spaced out and started remembering things again. I had a small revelation, but I want to have time to sit with you in private and work it out.” Vaebn said, “I also want you to come get me as soon as you have results. We are taking on a passenger shortly, so I want to make sure we have enough time.”
“Of course Commander,” she replied noting the tone of his voice, “I will make it my top priority. In the meantime, I’ll give you something that may help keep you steady for the day.”
“Thank you e’lev. I will check in routinely if anything else happens.” Vaebn said softly as he brushed her hand. She rolled up his sleeve and pressed the injector against his wrist, then brushed her hand across his bare forearm as she lowered the garment. She leaned in as close as she could, “Just promise you won’t leave me,” she whispered. He nodded as she straightened herself and smoothed the front of her uniform, “You’re all set Commander. Call me if you need anything more, and I’ll bring your results as soon as they are ready.”
“My thanks Doctor,” Vaebn said as he stood from the table. He made his way to the door, and glanced back briefly at her, and then continued into the corridor. As the doors shut, the pale green of the corridor briefly overtook him, but whatever Hwianna gave him, it helped lessen the disorientation he had previously experienced, and he made his way back to the bridge. His thoughts raced between the two lives he was seeing, and both were telling him that something very important was coming, something that could very well alter the path of his life forever.
Lieutenant Vaebn tr'Hwersuil
Chief Science Officer, USS Pioneer
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